Elusive Love
by Chisakami Saiyuki
Summary: CH. 2 UP! What is true love? Even the God of Love, Eros himself, doesn't have a direct answer for such hard a question. However, he gives the sun god, Apollo, one hint: True love grows. Apollo decides to look for his true love.
1. Prologue

_My reviewers from my other stories must be itching to kill me right now... I know I'm evil and all but I am busy people! It's my senior year and its slowly killing me! However, I just posted this up since it was sitting in myfiles for about four months now... Yes - four months. I just want to get it off my chest. I'll try to update my other fics as soon as possible. In fact, I'm getting more and more encouraged as I receive a new review. _

_I know the story about Cupid and Psyche is CUPID and Psyche. However, since I'm using Greek mythology characters, let's pretend it's Eros, okay? Will that kill you?_

_**Disclaimer:** I DO NOT own Greek Mythology! As if! I'm not that old so don't even think of suing me!_

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**_Elusive Love_** _(A/N: Sappy title, I know. But hey, I can't help it if I suck at making titles. Maybe I'll change it someday.)_

**_True Love_**

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All the gods watched as a beautiful maiden, Eros' chosen bride, Psyche, stood bashfully in front of the whole court of the gods. Everyone was there. Zeus, the king of the gods, and Hera, his bride; Demeter, goddess of the harvest; Aphrodite, the goddess of love; Athena, the goddess of wisdom; Hermes, the messenger god; Artemis, goddess of the moon, and her brother, Apollo, god of the sun. Even Hades and his queen, Persephone, were there. Every god known to men was there.

"May I present my chosen bride, Psyche," Eros announced to the whole court as he lovingly took Psyche's hand in his. The young maiden blushed beautifully. She truly was a pretty thing.

Zeus stood up from his throne and approached the two. He smiled at the couple in a fatherly manner. Aphrodite was also smiling, all jealousy and hatred towards the girl, gone.

"We welcome you, Psyche," Zeus said, smiling. He then looked at the rest of the gods. "Eros has presented us his bride. Who are in favour of granting Psyche immortality, raise your hands."

Every single god raised their hand. Eros and Psyche smiled happily at each other, overjoyed that they will now be together. Zeus smiled at them once again as he granted the young maiden immortality...

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Everyone was celebrating. Why wouldn't they? A new and very beautiful goddess was added to their numbers.

Apollo, the sun god, watched all this with a sigh. Even Eros has settled and Eros was the last person you would think who would settle. He was the god of love. He didn't seem to be the type of person to marry and with obvious devotion to his love.

Apollo had many women in his life. He had fallen in love with many nymphs. Sometimes, he was rejected, sometimes, he managed to woo them into his bed. However, he still hasn't exactly married anyone.

Eros approached his fellow god, a content smile on his lips. Apollo has never seen Eros this content before. He was surprised the god of love even walked away from his lover.

"Apollo," Eros greeted, his smile widening. Apollo gave a small smile in return. He could not help but be wary of the god. Apollo has been hit by one of Eros' arrows too many to count.

"Eros," Apollo greeted in return. "You seem... very content."

"Very content and happy," Eros said amiably. "I think my life will be very colourful with Psyche beside me for eternity."

"I wouldn't know how that feels like," Apollo said, almost dryly. "I'm not married."

Eros laughed. It was a beautiful laugh. If women were to hear it, they would swoon.

"What I feel has nothing to do with being married to her, Apollo," Eros said, eyes twinkling. "No, not at all..."

"No?"

Eros nodded solemnly. He then leaned in conspiratorially. Apollo also leaned in to listen.

"Zeus and Hera are married but you can clearly see that neither of them feel how I feel for Psyche."

Apollo had to agree to that statement. Zeus was a womaniser and could never be satisfied with just Hera as his wife. It is because of this that Hera usually goes into terrible fits caused by jealousy. Apollo couldn't really blame her. In fact, he pitied Zeus' consort.

Apollo looked questioningly at the smiling Eros. "How do you explain how you feel for your wife then?"

Eros' features relaxed as he suddenly looked so content again.

"That's easy enough to answer... True love. Not passionate love or lust... True love."

True love. It sounded so nice in Apollo's ears but...

"What's true love?"

Eros grinned at his fellow god. "That, my brother, is the difficult question. You will only know what it truly means when you experience it."

Apollo looked sceptically at Eros. "Aren't you the god of love? Who better to answer this question?"

The god of love, however, merely shrugged. "That is true... But I can only share so much... I cannot share everything. I'm afraid that you have to find this answer on your own. I can only tell you as much: no arrow of mine can make a person - human or god - experience true love. My arrows have instant effects. True love grows."

The sun god sighed, not understanding the other god. He, however, nodded. Eros smiled, bid him good-bye and went back to his wife. Apollo was left to his thoughts.

He looked at Psyche. She was extremely beautiful... one of the most beautiful women he has ever seen. In fact, she rivalled even Aphrodite in beauty.

_Maybe my true love will be as beautiful as her,_ Apollo thought as he gazed at the lovely maiden. His fantasies of a perfect woman then surfaced in his head as he imagined himself in true love.

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_Please review and NO FLAMES! I am EXTREMELY sensitive!_

_Chisakami Saiyuki_


	2. Ch1: Princess Ebony of Zakynthos

Disclaimer: Do not own Greek mythology... Not that old...

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Elusive Love

Chapter 1

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Apollo taking a stroll around the woods. He was now in active search of his true love. None of the gods, except Eros, knew why the sun god was down on the human world very often. Not even his twin sister knew.

He had met many beautiful nymphs and humans alike as he roamed around the land, looking earnestly for his true love. They were beautiful, yes, but he couldn't find what Eros has.

_True love grows..._

Yes, that's what Eros said. But does that mean that he has to spend time with every single beautiful girl he meets?

Besides, he hasn't found his dream girl yet. So far, not any of the girls he has met resembled his fantasized maiden.

Apollo could picture his perfect lady... beautiful long soft hair... brightly coloured eyes... delicate facial features... milky complexion... a slender yet curvaceous body and a beautiful, musical voice. His only problem now was finding this girl.

Before the god could walk any further, he suddenly heard a sweet, melodious sound. The sun god's eyes suddenly brightened as a smile came upon his lips. This was how he imagined the girl's voice would be. Surely... If he could hear the voice, there is an owner - and that owner might be the one he is looking for!

He quickly rushed towards the direction of the voice. At each and every step, he could hear the beautiful voice more clearly. Apollo was now positive that the voice came from a tower. As he ran, the sun god could not help but feel romantic.

_'I am about to whisk her away from that tower and marry her,'_ he thought with happiness. _'Then we will live happily ever after, just like Eros and Psyche, as the perfect couple.'_

Now being so close to the tower, Apollo saw that there was actually a castle with it. The tower, however, was located right outside the wall and was the highest peak. There seemed to be some festivity inside the castle since the gates were locked and there were but a couple of soldiers on watch.

Apollo swiftly climbed the tower. Being a god, he was able to do this in a short amount of time and with no trouble. Apollo was very excited to meet the maiden with the wonderful voice. He was sure she would be just as beautiful as her voice is.

He finally reached the window. He then quickly climbed inside the room, not wanting to waste time. The singing voice immediately stopped. In its' place, Apollo heard a soft voice asking.

"Who's there?"

Apollo quickly looked at the source of the voice and stared in shock - and disappointment.

The only person in the room was a girl... a thin, unhealthy-looking, scraggly girl. She was nowhere near his dream maiden.

The sun god, heart sinking in great disappointment, decided to ignore her and leave quietly. The girl, however, spoke again.

"No! Please don't leave! At least, not without telling me your name."

For some reason, Apollo could not help but turn back to her. She wasn't exquisitely beautiful but she still had a lovely voice.

It was just then that Apollo realized something. The girl's eyes were unfocused; she was blind.

"And lame too," the girl said with a smile, as if she read his mind. She tilted her head to the side, looking thoughtful. "You are a god, yes?"

Apollo looked mildly shocked. "How did you know? I could be a man." The girl, however, merely smiled.

"You were too quiet to be a man," the girl answered knowingly. "Besides, no one has ever dared to climb this tower - not even enemies. The surface is too slippery and the height too great. This tower was built to deter any man from reaching it. But of course, it can never prevent a god from climbing it."

The girl was smarter than she looked, Apollo had to admit. He found two beautiful traits of hers now - a beautiful voice and brains. But she was still so far away from his dream girl. This girl had two disabilities. She cannot see or walk.

"May I please know your name?" the girl asked politely. She had good manners too. "It would really make my day."

Apollo hesitated. "Tell me your name and status first." The girl, instead of being put out or offended, merely smiled.

(A/N: Okay, let us pretend and pretend and pretend... La la la lala...)

"I am a princess, your divinity," the girl answered. "Ebony of Zakynthos."

"A princess?" Apollo echoed. "Of Zakynthos? I have never heard of you. Are you lying to me?"

He saw a brief flash of pain in her eyes before she smiled weakly at him.

"I would not dare lie to a god," Ebony said and for some reason, Apollo quickly believed her. She does seem innocent. Wise but still innocent. "My parents... Well... Let me just say that my older sisters don't have any disabilities."

Apollo instantly knew what she meant. The king of Zakynthos was famous for possessing a number of beautiful daughters. Apollo has seen some of them and can say that the rumors were true. But this girl was different. She possessed no classic beauty and she was both blind and unable to walk. A girl like her, despite being a princess, will be hard to marry off.

Is this why she was alone in this tower? Her parents couldn't be bothered to marry her off so they just locked her up? Apollo remembered how heard some pleading in her voice when she asked him to stay. He knew she was lonely. Who wouldn't be? Any young girl in her place would feel terrible. Some might even be tempted to jump off the tower. But of course, Ebony couldn't do that since she couldn't even probably lift herself from the couch she was in.

The sun god instantly felt pity for the young princess. She seemed like a good sort. He was sure that if she wasn't disabled or was prettied up more, she would be able to scrape up a husband. Sadly, this wasn't the case.

The god finally decided to reveal his identity to her.

"I am the god of the sun, Apollo."

He noticed the shock look on her face. She was probably wondering why such an important and powerful god was in her tower.

Realization suddenly appeared on her face and she closed her eyes for a few seconds before opening them again. When she did, she was looking directly at him. Apollo, however, was sure that she was blind and that looking at him was pure coincidence.

"Are you disappointed, Master Apollo?" Ebony asked with a heart-breaking sad smile that Apollo almost felt like weeping for her. "That the beautiful voice in the tower didn't belong to a beautiful maiden? If so, I am very sorry."

Apollo felt his heart fly out to her. He knew that what she had just said would remain with him for a long time... Ebony's eyes were shining with unshed tears as she gave him a sad yet brave smile.

_"I am so very sorry..."_

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	3. Ch2: A New Prison

_Hey! Sorry if I haven't updated in a long time! My muse keeps on running away from me and then returning with new ideas for other stories! She's really starting to annoy me! Oh... wait! Please don't leave me! (chases after muse) LOL!_

_**Disclaimer:** I do **NOT** own Greek mythology! I'm only sixteen for heaven's sake!_

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**_Elusive Love_**

**_Chapter 2_**

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_"I'm so sorry... The only beauty I possess is my voice..."_

The golden-haired god closed his eyes, trying to forget the trembling musical voice that was full of so much loneliness, hurt and regret. That voice had been enough to make even he, a god, feel the pain behind that voice and see the suffering through those unseeing eyes.

Ebony... the blind, lame, plain youngest princess of Zakynthos.

"I thought I would find you here."

Apollo did not need to look up to know who was currently standing right next to him. "Eros," he greeted stiffly. Eros, however, smiled easily enough.

"Still haven't found your one true love?" Apollo kept silent and Eros instantly knew the answer. His smile widened, but not out of satisfaction. "Look at the matter this way. At least your one true love would not have much of a hard time falling in love with you with your looks and power... unlike this young princess who has been praying to me day and night."

For some reason, Apollo suddenly felt that statement pique his interest. "Oh really? A princess looking for her true love?"

Eros nodded, pity in his eyes. "Poor thing. She's a good child - never complains. I know since I have been watching her ever since she reached adolescence and started wishing for someone to love. But sometimes, I think that is her problem. She never complains. She should do something for herself - not that she could. Psyche has looked into her and my darling agrees with me. She is such a pitiful creature."

Apollo had started losing interest then. However, Eros continued. The archer god fleetingly wondered what kind of life this princess lived if the God of Love pitied her that much.

"...The fool she has for a father is also giving her away to some wealthy merchant slave trader in order to have more trade in Zakynthos. That merchant slave trader is probably going to sell her off as a slave to some sadistic..."

Apollo, who had been drifting off, suddenly snapped into attention at the mention of Zakynthos. A princess... her father was selling her which meant the father was the king...

The God of Light suddenly grabbed the God of Love's arm, stunning the latter enough for him to jump. He was looking at Apollo in great surprise and confusion.

"The princess! Who is she?" Apollo asked urgently.

"Why?" Eros asked, his perfect eyebrows furrowing together as a sign of greater confusion. Apollo, however, just shook him.

"Just answer."

Rolling his eyes, Eros indulged him. "She is the youngest princess of Zakynthos... Her name eludes me... Emmie? No. Effie? No, not that one..."

Apollo dropped Eros' arm, eyes wide as he thought of the name.

"Ebony..."

The God of Love snapped his fingers. "That's it! Ebony!" He turned towards Apollo. "Apollo, why do you..." He drifted off.

The multi-talented god was gone.

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"Now, now, Ebony. You know why we are doing this."

The dark-haired princess turned her face down towards her hands, sadness etched across her face. "It's for the good of the nation," she whispered.

"Exactly!" the king of Zakynthos exclaimed merrily. "And is it not an honor to bring prosperity to your homeland?"

"Yes." A weak whisper.

Ebony could only feel someone wrap her in a silk shawl. All she saw was darkness as she felt herself being lifted up. All she saw was darkness as she felt herself being moved. All she saw was darkness as she felt the descent down the stairs. All she saw was darkness even though she was brought out into the light.

With her sharp hearing, she heard all the murmurs and whispers going around her. Many have come to watch the youngest, pitiful excuse of a princess finally come out of her prison only to be taken to a different kind of cage.

The cage of slavery.

Ebony was no fool. She knew what was going to happen to her. She knew that her life had just been shortened. There was no hope of survival for a blind, lame princess in the cruel and harsh world of slavery. She would die as soon as she was sold off to some master.

But what would it really matter? All her life, she had been an inconvenience. Her parents had been appalled to receive such a useless child. Now, they were finally going to be able to get rid of her, with an advantage to boot. She was a small price to pay - not really even a price at all - for more wealth for the kingdom... or her parents.

Besides, who would remember the poor, little blind, lame youngest princess of Zakynthos? There were many stories about her but they were all false and hurtful. Some say she was so hideous her parents had to hide her. Some say she was cursed. Some say she brought misfortune. No one would mourn for her loss. No one's life will change or even become affected. She would just fade away, leaving no trace of her existence. She will be forgotten. Or maybe she already has been.

Tears started pooling at her eyes. She scolded herself harshly, wanting to slap herself. She had read plenty of tales about heroes and princes rescuing princesses. Ever since she was little, she would daydream of someone - anyone - who would rescue her from her tower and take her with him to his home - to cherish, love and protect her... to live happily ever after. But as she grew up, she realized that there was a trend in the fairytales that she did not follow. All those rescued princesses, all those damsels in distress...

They were all beautiful.

And sadly - painfully - that was something she was not.

Beautiful.

Ebony had always thought that life was so unfair. Why did she have to be lame? Why did she have to be blind? She would do anything to be able to see! She wished with all her heart to be able to walk on her two feet again. Ebony had always been a dreamer. Despite the fact that everything seemed so hopeless, she continued to hope. Hope that one day, her one true love would climb her tower and whisk her away. She had even turned to praying to the God of Love, Eros, for her true love to rescue her.

She remembered one time when her sisters were visiting her. One of them had asked what her greatest wish in the whole wide world was.

Her reply was, "I want to fall in love, be loved in return, marry my love, have children and live happily ever after."

They had scoffed at her, laughed at her. They said that it was a silly dream for it was too plain and simple. But that was all Ebony wanted. She did not even care what he would look like for physical looks were wasted on her. Her lack of eyesight made her value inner beauty more than the outer.

Ebony had not realized that she was actually in the presence of the merchant until her mother prodded her. She sat straighter and tried pinning down the merchant's voice. She heard a deep chuckle that made her shiver.

"She is endearing, Your Highness! Looking around her in such an innocent manner! She will be able to scrape for a master!"

Her heart sank as her father replied in a way that told her he did not see her as a daughter anymore but as a slave.

"I will take her now." Ebony suddenly heard chains and shrank back in fear. She did not want to be caged again!

However, the sound of chains moving ceased. The merchant laughed again.

"Oh, no need for chains! I'm sure the little princess will not be able to run away!" There was collective laughter as they had fun at her expense. Ebony choked back a sob.

The deal was taken care of swiftly and soon enough, Ebony was carried to the port and onto a ship carrying slaves.

As soon as she was inside, she was stripped of her silk shawl. The merchant's laughing voice became cruel.

"Strip her of all those fine clothes and give her a rag," the slave trader commanded. "No one touch her. She is going to be my gift to the prince of Argostolion."

Ebony paled. The king of Argostolion was ruthless and merciless - especially to enemies. Zakynthos and Argostolion did not have a good relationship and it was only the equal size of each army that prevented a war. If she was given to the prince of Argostolion, she would surely die! Without the gift of beauty, she would never be able to enchant him long enough to stay alive and escape.

Was this it? Was invisible Ebony of Zakynthos finally going to really disappear?

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Apollo walked among the mortals, unseen and undetected. He had been too late. Ebony was not in her tower anymore and the slave ship had left two days ago.

His common sense told him it was was foolish to waste his time looking for some weak mortal girl-child when he could spend this valuable time looking for his true love.

But something pulled at him. Something that made him want to look for the clever princess with the silver eyes and the beautiful, enchanting voice. As she talked to him, he had wondered - fleetingly - if she would be able to ensnare a man with that lovely voice.

"What are you talking about? I heard the petite plain princess is going to be given as a gift to the prince of Argostolion. My source is very reliable. My brother works for that slave trader!"

Argostolion! But weren't Argostolion and Zakynthos bitter rivals?

That obviously showed how much Ebony's parents valued her.

They had sealed her fate.

Or maybe...

Determined, Apollo looked towards the direction of Argostolion.

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_Please review! Sorry for the delay!_

_**Chisakami Saiyuki**_


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